ياشاسين آذربايجان - Long live Azerbaijan

Azeri Turkish lawyer Saleh Kamrani is reportedly held without charge in Evin Prison in Tehran. In an interview on 19 June 2006 on Araz Radio, broadcasting from Sweden, Saleh Kamrani’s wife, Mina Esgeri, said that she had been allowed to meet with her husband in detention on 18 June. He reportedly

PUBLIC AI Index: MDE 13/071/2006
23 June 2006

Further Information on UA 171/06 (MDE 13/067/2006, 16 June 2006 Fear for
safety/ Health concern/ Possible prisoner of conscience

IRAN Saleh Kamrani(m), lawyer and human rights defender, aged about 34

Azeri Turkish lawyer Saleh Kamrani is reportedly held without charge in Evin
Prison in Tehran. In an interview on 19 June 2006 on Araz Radio, broadcasting
from Sweden, Saleh Kamrani’s wife, Mina Esgeri, said that she had been allowed
to meet with her husband in detention on 18 June. He reportedly needs
medication for a heart condition. He may be held solely for his work as a
lawyer and human rights defender, in which case Amnesty International would
consider him a prisoner of conscience.

Saleh Kamrani had reportedly called his wife at their house in Tehran at around
3pm on 14 June to say that he was on his way home. He should have arrived by
4.30 or 5pm, and when he did not she tried to call him, but found his mobile
phone switched off, which was unusual for him. She called all the hospitals and
police stations in Tehran but did not find any trace of him. In the evening,
she called Ministry of Intelligence officials who at that time reportedly
refused to confirm whether they were holding her husband.

Saleh Kamrani has practised as a lawyer since 1999 and has defended a number of
Iranian Azeri Turks (who sometimes refer to themselves as Iranian Azerbaijanis)
who have been detained in connection with their political or cultural
activities. One of his clients, activist Saleh Malla Abbasi was arrested on 17
April (see UA 115/06, MDE 13/045/2006, 3 May 2006). Saleh Kamrani has also
defended members of other ethnic groups. He has reportedly suffered harassment
at the hands of the Iranian security forces, including phone calls threatening
him with arrest and in 2005 was detained for three days with his brother in the
town of Oromieh. He has also reportedly written articles on human rights and
has helped to organise training in human rights for lawyers and students. Saleh
Kamrani’s brother, Maharam Kamrani, was arrested on 30 March, and reportedly
tortured during his 19 days in detention (see UA 86/06, MDE 13/039/2006, 12
April 2006).

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In May 2006, massive demonstrations took place in towns and cities in
north-western Iran, where the majority of the population is Azeri Turkish, in
protest at a cartoon published on 12 May by the state-owned daily newspaper
Iran which many Azeri Turks found offensive. Hundreds were arrested during or
following the demonstrations (see UA 151/06, MDE 13/055/2006, 26 May 2006 and
UA 163/06, MDE 13/063/2006, 8 June 2006). Some of those detained have allegedly
been tortured, with some requiring hospital treatment. Publication of the
newspaper was suspended on 23 May and the editor-in-chief and the cartoonist
were arrested. Azeri sources have claimed that dozens were killed and hundreds
injured by the security forces. The security forces have generally denied that
anyone was killed, although on 29 May a police official acknowledged that four
people had been killed and 43 injured in the town of Naqada.

[1] web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE130712006?open&of=ENG-IRN

[2] www.hr.baybak.com/?p=23

[3] Print

• 19/06/2006 Fear of “disappearance”/fear for safety/health concern/possible prisoner of conscience: Saleh Kamrani
• 07/02/2007 IRAN Saleh Kamrani (m), lawyer and human rights defender, aged about 35
• 21/12/2006 APPEAL CASE, Saleh Kamrani, an Iranian Azerbaijani lawyer and human rights defender
• 23/08/2007 Saleh Kamrani (m), aged about 35, lawyer and human rights defender, Prisoner of Conscience/Fear of torture or ill-treatment/Medical concern
• 20/11/2007 Continued detention of Saleh Kamrani and Said Metinpour for representing Azerbaijani community
• 21/08/2007 Saleh Kamrani is sent to Evin prison
• 15/06/2006 Mr. Saleh Kamrani has disappeared in his way home from office.
• 23/08/2007 Fear of torture or ill-treatment/ Possible prisoner of conscience, Sa’id Metinpour (m), journalist, Azerbaijani cultural rights activist
• 13/08/2008 UPDATE 5: ARBITRARY SENTENCE AGAINST MR. SALEH KAMRANI
• 19/08/2007 Saleh Kamrani, an Azerbaijani lawyer is arrested again

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